Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“Of all the paintings displayed in this collection, which is your favorite?” he asked me.
“The one right behind us,” I said automatically, and he turned to look at it.
“Louis-Léopold Boilly? I was not expecting that. But now that you have said it, I can understand.”
“Really?” I asked, spinning on the bench to look at the painting called A Painter’s Studio. “And what do you think you understand since you seem to know me so well?”
“You easily relate to her. Female surrounded by portraits and sculptures, in the middle of all the art, working to create more art.” Once again, he had nailed down exactly how I felt with such ease and clarity.
Slowly, I turned back on the bench to look at him. “You’ve really been watching me all my life? How much do you know?”
“A lot and nothing,” he replied, still looking at the paintings.
I wanted to ask him why again, but I was worried he’d leave like last time. So, I unwrapped my sandwich to eat and forced my questions back down my throat as I watched him observe the art. It was only when I was halfway through my sandwich that it occurred to me…
“Are we on a date?” I whispered to myself, forgetting that it didn’t matter if I’d whispered or marched down the hall with a megaphone strapped to my mouth.
Damn you, Druella! I cringed, lifting the other half of my sandwich to eat and hide my face. However, as the seconds went by and he said nothing, I lifted my face to see him still in the same place, facing the paintings, like he hadn’t heard me, but I was sure he had.
Finishing my sandwich and downing the water, I quickly put the chips in my bag. I didn’t want to take any longer. Digging in the bottom of my bag, I found a single mint, and I wanted to get on my knees and thank the lord. Lifting my phone, I checked my teeth and fluffed my curls for a second before standing back up.
To stand next to him.
“Thank you.”
“For?” he asked gently.
For letting me eat without embarrassment, for pretending he didn’t hear me, for…for giving me a mortal moment. And mostly for coming here.
I smiled and shook my head. “Never mind. Come on. Is there anything you want to see?”
His eyes fixed on me, and he said, “I’m already looking at what I want to see.”
My mouth dropped slightly, and it took me a minute before I got myself back together. “Careful with romantic lines like that.”
“Why? Will someone think we are on a date?” he teased.
And now my mouth was fully agape. “I thought you were going to ignore that!”
“Forever?” He shook his head. “Not a chance. I must say, who would have thought a witch like you would have thoughts like that about a vampire like me.” He was openly mocking me.
“Excuse you, there were no thoughts. It was one question!” I snapped at him as he walked away from me.
“Is that why your heart rate went up?” He grinned.
Angrily, I shoved my shoulder into his, but that hurt. It was like trying to push a boulder. “Ouch.”
He chuckled. “Are you all right?”
“Perfectly fine!” I huffed and walked on my own, but he caught up to me.
I shot him a nasty glare, and he just smiled at me, which slowly made me smile, too. Soon, I was laughing for no reason, as was he.
We walked and talked about art and a little about him. How old he actually was, where he was born, his life before he became a vampire. As we walked through the exhibits, it felt as if we had walked through time, too. He even told me about things in a period of art I’d never heard before. Every word that dripped from his mouth had me captivated a hundred times over. I hadn’t used any magic, but I felt like magic was being used all around me. Before I knew it, two hours had gone by, and I had to sit and rest my feet.
The place we’d ended up was the interior courtyard of the East building, surrounded by greenery under the glass skylight, the night sky clear from above, and even though the moon wasn’t out, the stars were breathtaking, even more so when you were with someone else.
“I should not have done this,” he said, completely shattering the mental image in my mind as he sat beside me.
“Done what?” I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.
“Come back to talk to you.”
It was apparently okay for me to jump to conclusions. “Well, excuse me then. I—”
“Do not be upset,” he said gently. “For you misunderstand me.”
“How should I understand you then? You just said you didn’t want to see me.”
“No, I did not wish to talk to you—”